Home electronics a rising energy cost

October 02, 2008|By JENNIFER OCHSTEIN Tribune Correspondent

GRANGER Â? Electronic equipment in your home Â? televisions, computers, stereos and the like Â? could be sucking up more than just your time. They could be sapping money from your wallet through energy costs.

Along with the appliances in your home, electronics can account for up to 20 percent of your homeÂ?s energy costs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Marty Werling, president of Sights and Sounds Inc., 12525 Beckley St. in Granger, which provides custom home electronics solutions, points to information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to indicate the importance of energy savings: Â?The energy used in the average home can be responsible for more than twice the greenhouse gas emissions of the average car. When you use less energy at home, you reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and help protect our environment from the risks of global climate change.Â?

While we hate to think that our in-home entertainment could be deteriorating the environment, Werling says little changes can make all the difference.

First, he suggests looking for electronics that have Energy Star ratings, a government designation, that indicates that the equipment uses 30 percent less energy than a comparable piece.

He points to new standards in Energy Star ratings to account for new television technologies that will take effect Nov. 1. Even tighter Energy Star rating restrictions will be used starting Sept. 1, 2010, Werling says.

While typical electronics can earn an Energy Star designation by using 30 percent less than their counterparts, equipment like amplifiers and DVD players will get an Energy Star designation if they use less than 6 percent energy.

Werling says you should also do your homework before you buy.

Â?It is difficult to find how many watts a piece of electronics consumes,Â? Werling says. Â?Most boxes do not have that information printed on them. Your best bet is to do some research on the Web and compare several models before you go to the store. As consumers become more conscious of energy costs, there will be more and more products touting an Energy Star label.Â?

He points to another quote from the EPA: Â?The average home has two TVs, three telephones and a DVD player. If these items were replaced with Energy Star qualified models, it would save over 25 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to that of more than 2 million cars.Â?

Third, Werling says, you should make sure that you unplug your electronic equipment like cell phone chargers and iPods when youÂ?re not using them. They always draw electricity. Same with computers Â? plug them into a power strip and turn off the power strip when youÂ?re not using it.

Further, be aware that even though electronics like stereos and televisions may be powered off, they are still drawing power so they can be turned on with the remote control. Plugging them into a power strip and shutting off the power strip or unplugging them altogether may be the only way to keep them from drawing power.

Werling also suggests not using your television as an electronic fireplace.

Â?If youÂ?re not going to be using it for 15 minutes or so, turn it off,Â? he says.

Moreover, as home automation and lighting control becomes standard in houses, people will have even more control over their energy usage, especially when it comes to heating, lighting and powering home electronics, Werling says.

Â?Not only can you set up timers on your thermostats with home automation, you can override the controls over the Web,Â? he says. Â?Working late? Pop online and delay turning the heat up an extra two hours. Want outside lights on for your security at night? With Web-based systems, you can inexpensively have lights set to come on at dusk and off at dawn. Occupancy sensors can turn on lights in rooms like bathrooms and master closets when you enter and turn them off when you leave.Â?

And homes can be retrofit with these devices without adding any new wiring, he explains.

For more information about how to save energy when it comes to your electronic equipment, visit the U.S. Department of Energy Web site at www.energy.gov/applianceselectronics.htm.

For more information on home automation, visit WerlingÂ?s Web site at www.sightsandsoundsinc.com.